One Enchanted Evening (Marriage by Fairytale Book 2) Read online

  And I unbalanced them by marrying Lewis.

  Patricia sat in the chair and held a very comfortable looking Susanna to her bosom. She smiled at Marcy. “I’m glad you and Lewis came. It’s nice to see how happy you two are. I knew you’d make a good match.”

  Marcy returned her smile. “I love him with all of my heart.”

  “I can tell that by the way you look at him.” She stroked Susanna’s cheek then added, “He looks at you the same way. He wouldn’t have been happy with anyone else. You two were made for each other. Speaking of which, you should go to him. I’ve kept you long enough.”

  “Sleep well.”

  “You, too.”

  Marcy gave her another smile before she left the bedchamber. She went down the hallway. In the past, she would go down to the servant stairs and then to her small room in the servants’ quarters. But this evening, she went to the bedchamber reserved for guests.

  To her surprise, Lewis was already there. He was reclining in a chair by the candelabra, and to her surprise, he was reading a book. He stood up as soon as she entered the room.

  “I thought you and Stephen were downstairs,” she said.

  He shrugged. “I felt like retiring early. There’s only so much I want to hear about a prospective investment. I was so bored I even resorted to reading.” He set the book on the dresser and turned to face her. “I know I need to learn how to better manage money, but there’s only so much I can handle in one evening. Stephen could discuss money all night long.” He shot her a wry grin. “Is it any wonder why he does better at this than I do?”

  She offered him an understanding smile. “I don’t think the topic of investing appeals to everyone.”

  “It didn’t appeal to my brother, either. That’s why the estate is in the condition it’s currently in. Well, I didn’t make matters better. I think if I do the same things Stephen does with my money, it should all work out.”

  She nodded. “I think that’s a good strategy. Besides, your part is just as important as his. You speak to these gentlemen on his behalf. Together, you two make good partners.”

  His shoulders relaxed. “I hadn’t thought of it that way before. I suppose I do have something worthwhile to contribute to the arrangement.”

  Glad he felt better, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in for a hug. “Everything will work out for your financial situation. You won’t be in this position for long.”

  He pulled her closer to him and kissed her neck, an action that was so incredibly sweet that her heart hurt. She loved him so much. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for him.

  He brought his mouth to hers and kissed her. There was a question in his kiss. He was asking her if she’d be willing to make love to him. He wasn’t the type to ever insist on anything. He never did anything if she wasn’t in the mood to do it. He was just like she imagined he’d be. Considerate. Thoughtful. Whether he was in or out of the bedchamber, he was a gentleman in every sense of the word.

  When the kiss ended, she removed her clothes and gestured for him to follow her to the bed. By the time she had pulled back the covers and settled onto the mattress, his own clothes had been discarded. He approached the bed, his erection letting her know he was ready to be one with her.

  Even so, he didn’t rush the process. He drew her into his arms and resumed their kiss. He was slow and gentle, and quite frankly, she wasn’t in any hurry, either. She wanted to take her time and savor the moment, to forget everything else going on and just focus exclusively on him. With a contented sigh, she interlaced her tongue with his.

  He explored her body, his hands tracing her back, her breasts, and her hips. She, in turn, explored him as well. And, at one point, she decided to do something she hadn’t done before.

  She urged him onto his back. Then she straddled him, letting her sensitive nub intimately press up against his penis. She groaned. He felt good. Deciding to tease them both before she continued exploring him, she rocked her hips so that she slid up and down his shaft.

  Sparks of pleasure shot straight through her. He let out a soft moan and cupped her breasts in his hands. His thumbs brushed her nipples in a way that made a shiver of pleasure race up her spine. If she was in a hurry, she would let him enter her right then and there, but she wasn’t in a hurry. She wanted to prolong their lovemaking for as long as she could.

  She moved further down his body so that she could take him in her hand. As she hoped, he gasped in pleasure. Pleased, she began stroking him, starting at the base of his penis, going up to his tip, and then going back down. She’d only done this once before, and this time, it was easier to establish a rhythm that maximized his enjoyment.

  He groaned and clenched the sheets beneath him. From time to time, he murmured her name, and at one point, she wondered how much more pleasure he’d get if she teased him with her tongue. She lowered her head and took him into her mouth. Holding the base of his shaft, she traced the length of him with her tongue. When she got to the head of his penis, she went a bit slower, choosing to circle around the head before licking his tip.

  He murmured her name, his voice laced with both need and enjoyment. Just as she’d expected, he got intense pleasure from it. Encouraged, she repeated the action, thoroughly enjoying the way he squirmed under her. He’d forgotten everything else around them. She’d brought him to the point where all that existed was the two of them and this moment they were sharing.

  “I want to be inside you,” he whispered.

  She rose up and straddled him again. He slid into her, and her flesh clenched around him in satisfaction. It was wonderful to be filled by him. She felt complete. They were truly one.

  He reached between them and began to rub her sensitive nub. She cried out in pleasure, her flesh clenching around him again. From there, she rocked her hips, slow and purposeful, as he continued his ministrations. She had no idea how much time passed until all she could focus on was the mounting tension building up within her that demanded to be satisfied. Finally, when she reached the peak, pleasure exploded in her core.

  She cried out and gripped his arms. She remained still as she rode the waves of pleasure that crashed into her. Before she descended from the heights of bliss, he wrapped her in his arms and rolled them both over so that he was on top of her.

  He proceeded to thrust inside her, an action which only prolonged her orgasm. Whenever she was at the peak and he stroked her core this way, it made things that much more intense. She grasped his arms, digging her nails into his skin as he continued making love to her.

  Slowly, ever so slowly, her body began to relax. She was so lightheaded that she was barely aware of the moment when she felt the familiar throbbing inside her that told her he’d reached his own peak. She kept her legs wrapped around his waist as he released his seed. She loved this part of lovemaking just as she enjoyed the rest of it. Knowing her body brought him pleasure made the act feel complete.

  After he relaxed, he spent considerable time kissing her. She kept her legs securely around him, reluctant to let him go.

  “I love you, Marcy,” he whispered as he settled into her arms.

  “I love you, too, Lewis,” she replied. “No matter what happens, I will always love you.” Glad he remained inside her, she closed her eyes and continued holding him as he drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Eighteen

  As soon as Marcy returned to London, she penned a reply to Pandora, asking her step-sister where she lived and when they could talk in person. She kept this reply in her pocket so that she’d be ready to give it to the lad who delivered Pandora’s next message.

  Her chance came almost a week after she and Lewis had returned from visiting Stephen and Patricia. Lewis was visiting the Duke of Larkinson when the lad came knocking at the front door. She ran over to it and flung it open. The lad was probably ten, maybe even nine, and he wasn’t of the noble family. The other lads who had delivered Pandora’s missives were of the middle or lower classes, too, now that Ma
rcy thought about it.

  “This is for you,” the lad told her and held out the envelope with the familiar fancy border Marcy had started to associate with Pandora.

  “If I take that, will you give this to the lady who told you to deliver that message to me?” she asked as she showed him the missive she’d written to Pandora.

  Since he seemed hesitant, she produced a farthing. It wasn’t much. He probably got paid much better from Pandora, but it was all she dared to give him, considering the little money Lewis had. She could only hope he would be willing to accept it.

  “I would, my lady,” the lad began, “if I knew the person who wrote this.” He held up Pandora’s message.

  Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You don’t know who sent this message to me?”

  He shook his head. “Another lad gave this to me.”

  “Do you know who the lad is or where he lives?”

  “All I know is that he lives that way.” He pointed in the direction of the poorer section of London. “But I don’t know his exact address. He came to my home. I was told to make haste. Whatever is in the envelope, it must be important.”

  Marcy wasn’t prepared for this strange turn of events. So Pandora was using at least two lads to send her missives. Marcy thought about going down to the section of London the lad had pointed to and going door to door to find the other lad. But who knew if that lad had any direct contact with Pandora? He might have received the missive from someone else.

  Now that Marcy thought about it, this wasn’t the same lad who’d delivered any of the other missives to her. There had been different ones each time. Which meant Pandora was being careful to hide her whereabouts. She was leaving Marcy with no substantial way to reach her.

  She wants you to fret over what she’s going to do next. That’s why she’s being so careful in everything she’s doing.

  The lad gave her Pandora’s missive then walked down the townhouse steps. Marcy glanced around the people and townhouses. Could Pandora see her right now? Was Pandora watching her? For all Marcy knew, Pandora could be right across the street from her. Though Marcy didn’t see anyone looking at her from any of the townhouse windows, she shivered and shut the door.

  After taking a moment to compose herself, she peeked out the small window by the door. No one outside was looking at her townhouse. She released a shaky breath then turned from the window.

  She didn’t want to read what Pandora had sent her, but she felt she had no choice. It was like being trapped in a nightmare. Even though she didn’t want to do this, she couldn’t stop herself.

  She opened the neatly folded parchment and read, Tick tock. Tick tock. Your time is running out.

  Marcy felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. She knew the message wasn’t going to be pleasant. She knew whatever Pandora had written her was going to make her sick to her stomach. So why should this be a surprise?

  You can’t run from your sins forever. Sooner or later, they find you out.

  Marcy felt a familiar nausea sweep over her. She didn’t know if she could bear the wait for Pandora to finally make her move. This waiting was making her sick. She could barely eat. She could barely sleep. She could barely concentrate when others talked to her. Lewis had noticed it. Stephen and Patricia had, too. That’s why they all thought she was expecting a child.

  I can’t last like this much longer. This is going to destroy me unless I find Pandora and try to make amends.

  She slid down to the floor then pulled her knees up to her chest. She put her forehead on her knees and closed her eyes, breathing slowly in and slowly out, just as she’d done after she lost her mother…and then her father. The action had always calmed her enough so she could think. And right now, she needed to think about her next move. She couldn’t keep waiting for Pandora to do something. She needed to make a move. The lack of control was going to be her undoing.

  Marcy didn’t know how she was going to find Pandora except perhaps at a ball. She needed to ask about her. Maybe someone knew her. Since the Duke of Philton wasn’t in London, she’d ask if anyone knew Miss Charville. If Pandora never married, that’s how people would be addressing her. Then she might be able to figure out where Pandora lived, and from there, she could speak with her.

  That was better than waiting for Pandora to make her next move. One way or another, things were going to have to be resolved. All she knew was that she couldn’t go on like this much longer. She was too on edge. Her nerves were about to snap. She couldn’t keep going on like this.

  She would ask Lewis about the next ball, and she would go to it. She didn’t know if it would make things better or worse, but she had to do something or else she’d go insane.

  ***

  “Are you sure you want to come to this ball?” Lewis asked.

  Marcy glanced at the Duke and Duchess of Larkinson’s townhouse as the carriage slowly pulled up to the front. She steadied her resolve. She had to do this. She couldn’t hide from Pandora. Pandora would find her wherever she went at this point. It was obvious Pandora was keeping careful track of her.

  The moment she married Lewis, her future had been set. Now she had to do what was necessary to deal with it. She ran her gloved hands over her pink gown in an attempt to calm down. This was the gown she’d worn the night of Stephen and Patricia’s ball. It’d brought her good luck that evening. Perhaps it might do so tonight.

  “I want to be here,” she told him, scanning the people who were entering the townhouse to see if Pandora was among them. So far, no such luck.

  “I suppose you want to meet the Duke and Duchess of Larkinson,” Lewis replied. “You’ve heard so much about them that you probably think you know them.”

  She forced her attention back to him and smiled. “It’s understandable that you would speak about them as often as you do. You and Stephen have much to benefit from your association with the duke.” On impulse, she reached out and touched his hand. “I hope everything goes wells in this venture.”

  He returned her smile. “Isn’t that just like you to think of what’s best for me?” He leaned toward her and kissed her. “If you want to leave early, we can. I don’t want to stay here any longer than you want to be there. I’ve already gotten the business portion of my talks with the duke over with.”

  The carriage came to a stop.

  She glanced out the small window once more. Well, this was it. Finally, she might find out where Pandora lived. Her gaze went back to Lewis. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready to leave.”

  The coachman opened the door, and she got out first. This gave her a better view of the ladies who were going to the ball. Unfortunately, none were Pandora. It hadn’t been that long ago since she’d last seen her step-sister. She would recognize her if she saw her. And right now, none of the ladies had the same dark red hair and slender frame that Pandora did.

  Marcy hid her disappointment. It was possible Pandora might not be here this evening. But that was no reason to give up. Someone might know her, or at least someone might have heard of her. A sudden thought occurred to Marcy. If Pandora had married, then it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Just because she didn’t end up with the Duke of Philton, it didn’t mean she was unwed.

  This is not an impossible situation. Someone might know her. I can’t give up hope.

  Lewis took Marcy by the arm, distracting her for only a moment before she resumed her search.

  “Are you sure you want to be here?” Lewis asked.

  “I wouldn’t have asked to come if I didn’t,” she replied.

  “Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

  He didn’t believe her. Or, at the very least, he wondered if she was telling him the truth. She wished she could. She wished her situation was as innocent as Patricia’s had been. Patricia might have suffered, but it wasn’t because she’d done anything wrong. Marcy, on the other hand, had. How was she supposed to explain that to someone she wanted to keep on loving her the way he did right now
? If he knew the truth about her, it would change everything.

  Maybe that’s what Pandora wants. Maybe she doesn’t want you to be happy with Lewis.

  But if that was true, why didn’t Pandora just send him a missive and tell him what she had done? Why only send missives to her?

  Could this possibly end well? Even if she could keep her sin a secret from him, just knowing Pandora was nearby, fully aware of the truth, was starting to take its toll on her. How could this not eventually affect her marriage?

  That’s why I need to deal with Pandora as soon as possible. It’s the only way I’ll have any hope of resolving the past once and for all.

  Deep down, Marcy knew this to be true. She just didn’t know how things would play out once she finally found her step-sister. There were so many possibilities, and besides Pandora forgiving her, she didn’t know what might resolve the whole thing on a happy note. If she could explain to Pandora that she’d had a change of heart at the last moment, if she could tell Pandora that she’d gone back to the den in order to get rid of the poison, then maybe Pandora might realize Marcy had tried to right her wrong, even if the outcome had ended up the same.

  As she and Lewis reached the entrance of the townhouse, she pulled him aside. “I realize I’m not acting like I did when we first married. I have a lot on my mind. I need time to sort through everything.”

  His eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Is it anything I can help you with?”

  “I’m afraid not. This is something I have to do myself.” Noting the disappointment on his face, she squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry, Lewis, but it’s better this way.”

  After a moment, he said, “All right,” and squeezed her hand in return. “I trust your judgment.”

  As much as she wanted to kiss him to let him know how much she appreciated him, she refrained because of the other people passing by them. For the moment, all she could do was offer him a thank you and let him escort her to the ballroom.